


Pubs, Friends, and Conversations

by Beau_bie



Series: The Cafe Saga [18]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, F/M, M/M, POV Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26041744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beau_bie/pseuds/Beau_bie
Summary: Harry catches up with his friends, makes important decisions and accepts Draco's friendly offer.
Relationships: Hannah Abbott/Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Series: The Cafe Saga [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786843
Comments: 3
Kudos: 75





	Pubs, Friends, and Conversations

Luna sat back down, a glass of rosé in her hands. "I don't blame you for not wanting to go to university, but I think you would really enjoy it."

"Didn't you say it was by correspondence?"

"Yes, it is," Harry said, looking at Neville. "I thought it would be easier with work."

"So scary," Luna sighed. "I mean, that's a lot to take on. Are you still management?"

"No. I'm just part time," he said. "Sev and I spoke about it, and I thought it was the right idea, and he really encouraged me. Now I don't know if this is what I want."

"Then don't do it. What are you really passionate about?" Neville asked. "I get that studying business seems like a good idea since you've worked in management and that, but... what do you really love doing?"

Luna leaned forward curiously. "You liked working in the cafe, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah," he shrugged. "I did like working there. I haven't really done anything but hospitality."

"And there isn't anything wrong with that," Neville said. "Hannah owns this place and it's the happiest I have ever seen her. She lives and breathes hospitality as a career. If you genuinely like it, stick with it."

She seemed intrigued. "Yes, Hannah is very happy here, isn't she?" she mused. "See, why not do something like this?"

"I'm still working in hospitality," he said. "I'm still at the hotel."

She frowned, tutting as if Harry had misunderstood her.

Hannah, who was currently working the bar, walked over. "Work for me Harry," she said. "I can always use the extra staff. People who are willing to work the longer hours."

Neville nodded. "You'd fit in well here."

"Well, I'd be working with a couple of my friends, so yes, I would hope so," Harry joked. 

Luna chuckled. "Well, if not, you and Severus should come on our next expedition. You would have loved Scotland. I am sure you'd love Australia too."

"Well, I'm sure that I would have-"

"And I'm sure Severus would like it too," she beamed.

"I don't think that's what we really want right now. But thanks, Luna."

She shrugged. "That's okay. But you're more than welcome to come with us anytime."

"I don't think Harry and Severus want to look for cryptids," Hannah said. "You'd have better luck dragging Neville to Australia. Mostly for the plants, of course."

"I wouldn't mind that," Neville said.

"Well, when we finally move there you can visit whenever you want."

"How do you know where you want to live?" asked Hannah, passing Harry and Neville another beer. "It's so vast. Like, where would you go?"

"We want to live in Katoomba. It's our favourite place."

"I'll have to look into it," said Neville.

"You'd like it I'm sure. Its right near a National Park."

Hannah stood up straight. "Ron, Hermione. Haven't seen you guys here for a while. How have you been?"

Ron and Hermione seemed just as surprised to see everyone else sitting around talking as they had been to see the two of them walk into the pub. 

"We're good, thank you," Hermione said. 

"Just thought we'd stop by for a drink," Ron added.

"Join us," Neville said.

Harry didn't want to look at the two of them, even though their wedding was just a month away. He wasn't even sure he wanted to be there, but he was supposed to be the best man. He would rather not be, but he was afraid to broach the subject. How could he? The two of them had attempted to make amends at his birthday, but it seemed too little too late. He just didn't think he could continue with it all. It was draining. He had had enough. But in saying that, he didn't want to lose them. It was hard. Everything was difficult. He wanted it to be simple, but he knew it never would be. 

He didn't want to be the best man then flake on their friendship. Abandon ship. Although that seemed the only way.

"Can we talk?"

He looked at Ron, his heart pounding. He didn't want to, but he accidentally caught Neville's eye, Neville nodding encouragingly, and that solidified it for him. "Okay," he said, grabbing his beer, following Ron outside to the beer garden.

"Neville has done a great job on the garden out here. It really is a beer garden now," Ron said, but his voice was devoid of emotion. He leaned against the brickwork, taking a few gulps of his beer as if it really was liquid courage. 

Harry set his beer down on the table, crossing his arms. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yes. I've missed you so fucking much. I know I've fucked up in the past, I do know that, and I don't expect you to see past my fuck ups, but I don't want this. This distance that's between us is fucked up. I miss you. I don't want all this bullshit between us-"

He cut Ron off from his rambling. "Neither, Ron. But I didn't start this."

"No. You didn't. But it needs to end. Our wedding is a month away and my fear is you not being there. I need you there. You're my best friend."

Harry sighed. "I don't want to be part of the wedding party. I dread going to your wedding. It's the last thing I need right now."

Ron shook his head. "I can't believe-"

"For years you've been fucking with me. You didn't accept my choices. I'm done with all of this. It's so fucked up. If I go to your wedding... I don't want to be part of the wedding party. I really don't."

"Harry-"

"No. Ron, you say you're sorry for what's happened, and you act like it isn't a big deal, but it is to me. My parents hate that I'm with Severus. You and Hermione have treated him like a fucking leper. And you just think I can keep looking past it all. I can't. I can't look past it. I'm sick of the one person who has treated me like I'm human is treated like shit by everyone I thought I cared about. I can't let it continue. It's killing me."

Ron nodded. "I get that. I want to rebuild our friendship. Life isn't the same without you."

"Don't you think it might be for the better? That... maybe this is pointless? I don't want to feel like this for the rest of my life."

"No. I don't. I don't like that you think that. Do you really think that?"

"Yeah. I do."

He nodded. "I get it. I deserve it. But we just wanted what was best for you."

"You, Hermione, mum, dad, you all think you know what's best for me, but you don't. If any of you took the time to get to know Severus and spend time with him and see just how good he is to me, then you'd never say that you wanted what was best for me. I know what is. I'm going to be lucky that I get to spend the rest of my life with him. If you can't accept that, then I don't want anything more to do with you. From now on I'm not having anymore negativity in my life Ron. You apologised to Severus at my birthday, but you still can't talk to me. Give me a call and ask what's going on in my life. I called you and left a message. I called for Hermione's birthday. Neither of you returned my calls. I don't think I can do this. I think it would be better if you had someone else be your best man."

Ron shoulders slumped. "Yeah... you're right."

"Thank you. I just don't... it isn't right. For me to be part of the wedding party."

"Okay. I'm glad that we... this got all sorted before the day."

"Same." He walked back inside, finishing his drink.

Hermione eyed Harry as he walked in, sans Ron. "Hey Harry, where's Ron?"

"Outside. I'm going-"

Luna pressed another beer into his hands. "One more drink?"

He sighed. "Once I finish this I'm heading home. I'm tipsy and tired."

"I genuinely thought you were going to say tipsy and horny."

Harry laughed. "When I get home and see Severus I might just be," he grinned, but it felt forced, awkward, yet Luna hardly seemed to notice.

Luna squealed, "You two are seriously too much!"

Hannah passed Luna another glass. "They are. Oh, and you should thank Severus for that plant he gave Neville. I swear you'd think it was a child the way he dotes on it."

"I'll be sure to do that."

Luna yawned. "How sweet. A baby plant."

"I'd hardly call it a baby. It's really rather tall," Hannah explained, brows furrowing.

"Lovely."

Ron walked back in, sitting next to Hermione, the two talking in hushed voices to each other.

Hermione looked at Harry, frowning, but Ron rested his hands on her shoulder, pulling her back into their conversation. 

"Is everything okay?" Luna whispered, her voice almost carried away by the surrounding chatter. 

"Yeah, I'll tell you later." 

She nodded. "Okay. So there's been these sightings of panthers in Australia."

Harry was about to tell her that panthers didn't exist in Australia, then he remembered who he was talking to. He finished his drink. "Okay, I'll see you guys later."

"Bye, Harry. Call me tomorrow," Luna said. "I would also like to tell Severus about Scotland, if he has time."

"Will do. Take care."

Hannah, who was still at the bar, waved at him.

He made his way outside. He wasn't drunk. Hardly even tipsy, despite his earlier words, but took a taxi home.

...

He slept in, something he rarely did. He rolled onto his side, looking at the time, seeing that it was already ten thirty. He groaned, slowly sitting up. He was tired. He didn't really want to get up, but he needed coffee. He climbed out of bed, grabbing his dressing gown and walked downstairs.

He wasn't expecting to see Draco there, but there he was, a smirk on his face at seeing Harry in just his underwear and open gown.

"Morning Harry," he said. "Rough night?"

Harry blushed deeply. "It did get a bit messy. Didn't know you were coming over," he added, pulling his gown around his waist.

Severus just shook his head.

"Just came over to pick up a few books," Draco explained. "Heard you started university. How's that going for you?"

"I am stressed and regretting it," he said, stepping into the kitchen. "Can I get either of you a coffee?"

"That would be nice, thank you," Draco replied.

"Thank you," Severus said, walking into the kitchen. "You slept in."

Harry looked over his shoulder, Severus leaning against the bench. "I was so tired," he sighed. "I didn't realise it was so late."

"You must have needed to sleep."

"I think so. Ron and Hermione were there last night."

"Were they? Thought they didn't drink at Hannah's pub," he frowned.

"They don't. Usually. I don't know why they were there. I spoke to Ron about their wedding. I told them I wasn't going to be the best man anymore. I should have told him that it hadn't felt like I was even the best man since he hasn't spoken to me for that long, let alone even mentioned the wedding."

Severus nodded. "You've done the right thing."

"You think?"

"I do."

Harry sighed. "I feel like if I was really important to him, and the wedding and being the best man... if it mattered, he would have made the effort with me."

"He would have. But he doesn't appear to care."

He grabbed the coffee mug and passed it to Severus. "Yours, my love."

"Thank you," Severus said, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "What else did you get up to?"

"Luna wants to talk to you about her Scotland trip."

"Ah, yes, I suppose I will talk to her. She is rather mysterious, isn't she?"

"That was a polite understatement." He poured the milk into the coffee for Draco. "I'll call Luna later anyway- oh, and Hannah says thank you on behalf of Neville for the plant. She says he adores it."

"Did she say anything about our engagement photos?"

"Ugh, I forgot to ask and she was working the bar. I will get back to her."

"I was just curious. No hurry."

"Soon enough we will have wedding photos," Harry said. "I would like to have a few of the engagement photos up before then."

"You guys got engagement photos?" Draco asked, walking over almost cautiously. 

"We did."

"Where did you have them done?"

"A friend of ours took them in our garden," Harry smiled, passing Draco his coffee.

"Thank you. Are you happy with them?"

"We haven't really seen them," Harry admitted. "Because she has been busy with work, but I'll try and stop by this week then she will have them printed."

"That's exciting. So, when is the wedding? You have decided on a date, right? It's all my father talks about."

"I wanted it to be on a day that was really special to us," Harry smiled. "But I think every day has been special to us, so I wanted it to be something special to Severus. He liked the idea of having it on the winter solstice this year, but it's so close to Christmas, I suggested the summer solstice next year, but then it will be the middle of summer, and ages away," he sighed.

"And I was okay with that. It's just a simple registry wedding that we're having, but the day will always feel significant then."

Draco smiled. "I think that sounds lovely."

Harry made his coffee as Severus and Draco made their way back to the living room, the two talking about whatever it was they were. Harry sat at the dining table and flicked through the newspaper. It was boring, uneventful and would go nicely in their fireplace once the weather cooled off. He turned to weather when Draco sat down across from him. 

"Hey."

Harry looked up at him. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to put out an offer for you."

"An offer?" Harry asked.

"Yes. I was going to ask if you ever needed help with your classes that I am more than happy to assist," he explained.

"At what cost?"

"You wound me, really. I want nothing. Severus, and you, have helped me out more times than I can count. Anyway, I did graduate top of my class."

"I know you did. And I didn't expect anything less from you. I would have been disappointed in you if you didn't."

"Fuck off," he laughed. "You sound like Severus now."

"Great minds thinks alike. I just thought you'd be too busy to help me."

"Not at all. It's not like I'm actually working at the moment," he shrugged. 

"Thank you. If I have any troubles I will be sure to ask."

Draco smiled. "I'm glad I can help you out."

...

"I'm not surprised that Draco offered to assist you with your studies. I suppose he must be rather bored since Lucius isn't giving up the family business anytime soon, and Draco's finished studying. I am glad that he is willing to help you out though. I would have been disappointed if he didn't, actually."

"Really?"

"Yes. I helped him through his studies. He should be willing to return the favour."

Harry just smiled and curled up into Severus embrace. "I just hope that I don't frustrate him. I'm not a very fast learner. I'm worried I'll be left behind."

"You will do just fine." He kissed the top of Harry's head. "No more negativity."

"You're right. Everything will be fine."


End file.
